Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-06-18
CHOOSING A DOCTOR.
SUGGESTIONS FROM A PHYSICIAN OF
THIRTY YEARS PRACTICE.


Reasons why Certain Practitioners should
Not b. Chosen First-D.,irsble Quail
ties of n Medical Adyiser-An Old Car.
dinaI's Advice.
In choosing a medical attendant, per
sonality goes a long way with most people.
When some member Of the family falls
very ILL., usually n practitioner of pre-
sumed eminen; standing is called III as
consultant by the attending physician.
Nine times ont of ten this consulta-
ton results in the consultants con
firming and approving the diagnosis
and treatment of the family physi-
clan" In many instances This appro-
batiou is hearty and well deserved; but
in some. ! am sorry TO say, the con
sultant Yields his Judgment to politeness
and good nature rather than disCredit the
family doctor treatment, etc.
Never choose "a recent graduate in med!-
cine, as he is always inclined TO do as the
professor of practice taught him, as he
usually knows the formulas Of the various
prescriptions presented by that professor.
Yet he lacks the experience and learned
touch-the tactus eruditus-of his teacher.
The newly made doctor is also imbued with
the idea that drugs possess the power To
travel through the system and drive out
disease, just as u ferret Chases the rats
from between the tioorings and walls Of
an old house. Ii takes the embryonic doc
tor at least ten years 10 know that he
should curb his dose giving tendencies
and TO learn hat most diseases, if let
alone will get well of themselves
| Never choosu doctor who has hobby
| in medicine a. he is incst sure To trace all
forms OF disease to that offending organ
/ ism which may be his especial study.
have known men to trace every disease to
the stomach, to indigestion, and another
| to the liver. and another TO the nervous
| system and another To certain pelvic de
| fects, if the patient should be woman.
| The man who attributes all troubles to
/ malaria is likewise TO he avoided as a
| guiding and good reasoning doctor. Ma
| laria covers up IA good deal of ignorance,
| Just as charity covers q multitude of sins,
| the difference, however, being that in the
| doctors case the patient usually suffers
| and sometimes dies because of malaria, -
| while the charity axiom Is always sure to
/ be of service TO somebody.
| Never employ a doctor who is strictly
welded to authority. Authority" gen
! orally means that a doctor who bows down
! in reverence TO il has no logical turn OF
! mind. and he either lacks knowledge or
| information OF courage TO rely upon his
/ own methods. Such a doctor can never
! find case such as he has under treat
| ment i'll any Of the books of authority,
| because there are no two diseases exactly
alike, any more than there are any two
| faces exactly alike. The features of all
are nodded in common, but the expression
| In totality is absolutely different.
Never choose a doctor who claims tO
cure everything. particularly if he is some
what advanced in life and has become
welded To fixed ideas and Interchangeable
| themes Such doctor invariably quotes
| the shining lights of the past, and he sees
| no advance in his profession. This man
has lordly contempt for the microscope
| and chemical analysis, and he feels above
searching for new discoveries, either in
| finding out what NAV be the character of
the illness or in the new science of admin
istering AS little medicine as possible.
After medical man passes his sixty fourth
Year he should be retired if possible, like
general officer in the army. He is then
too firmly allied 10 his own individuality
u unbend his dignity 10 new facts.
When YOU do choose a medical adviser
seek TO discover if he is u man OF good ed
ucation, good manners, good habits, good
reasoning powers and good health. Edu-
cation implies that his mind has been
trained TO logical deductions, and they in
turn teach one 10 associate every action in
life with common sense.
Good manners indicate gentle, soothing
methods and patience-qualitication 50
much appreciated by the sick, who are
usually fretful and irritable Good man
ners soothe, and this soothing does very
much towards begetting confidence, and
confidence is nine tenths Of the battle-it
is almost victory.
Good habits teach the community to
know that the physician is never beclouded
10y the harmful fumes of drink. a clear
intellect, of all things, is absolutely pre-
requisite in n doctor.
Good reasoning powers TO teach the doc
tor TO be stIong in his resolutions, to be
brave in emergencies, which is self conf
dence, and that popularity in the doctor
begets cheerfulness, hopefulness and
strength. A patient soon appreciates
these qualifications, and they are all pow
erful by the sick bedside.
Good health is a boon and blessing
which all men require in the transaction
of their pursuits, but more particularly
required by a physician, who Is compelled
10 undergo SO much physical labor, as
well as mental disquietude.
The springtime brings with it a train
of ailments and diseases which can very
readily be avoided, rs most of them are
developed by the imprudences and care
lessness of the patients themselves. A
few warm days early in April make us
very uncomfortable, because we have not
discarded the heavy flannel underwear.
and We likewise retain the thick outer
garments. The discomfort of the heat
causes many to change fer lighter mate
rials, and then suddenly comes cold
wave born in the heart of the northwest
ern Rocky mountains, and bronchitis or
pleurisy or pneumonia rushes in upon the
unguarded and overconfident individual.
Is il therefore strange that Jones or Brown
or Robinson succumbs, and that We are
shocked at the suddenness and fatality of
the attack Wherefore We must never
change our heavy underwear until the
certainty of continued hot weather arrives
in early June A little heat saves many
cold.
Many years ago picked up an old book
printed in Paris in 1905. IL was a library
being sold at the celebrated auction rooms
in the Rue Druot, in Paris. / bought il
simply because Of letter written by Car
dinal Richelieu To the Due de Nalois, and
which was printed as the introduction To
LA Vie ct la Mort" by one Dionis,
Franciscan monk The first line Of that
letter is all l shall quote, but II made a